Aztecs' White will miss BYU showdown

Mick McGrane

Billy White's string of 19 consecutive field goals over the past two games remains intact, but his streak of 13 straight starts has come to an end.

White, who suffered a hyperextension of his left knee with just 44 seconds gone in San Diego State's 75-49 loss Saturday at New Mexico – its worst defeat in five years – will not play tomorrow night when the Aztecs host BYU in a crucial Mountain West Conference matchup.

An MRI performed yesterday morning showed no cartilage or ligament damage. The 6-foot-8 sophomore attended yesterday's workout but did not participate. If there was encouraging news it was that White, though sporting a knee brace, was walking without the aid of crutches, which was not the case Saturday.

Senior point guard Richie Williams played against UNLV earlier this month after suffering a sprained knee four days earlier at Colorado State, but team physician Dr. Christopher Behr told Fisher yesterday that White's sprain is more severe.

Fisher said he did not know when White would return.

“Billy doesn't have the full extension or the flexibility right now that Richie had,” Fisher said. “He (Dr. Behr) told me that, in his mind, there was no way he saw (White) being able to play (tomorrow).”

White, who set a school record by going 12-for-12 from the field in SDSU's 71-60 win over Wyoming on Feb. 14, is the team's third-leading scorer with 9.0 points per game.

White's injury comes at a time when the Aztecs are fighting to stay in contention for the MWC title and a possible NCAA Tournament bid. SDSU, which has four regular-season games remaining, trails first-place Utah by two games and is in a three-way tie for second with BYU and New Mexico. Of the Aztecs' remaining games, three will take place at Cox Arena, where SDSU is 11-1 this season and has won 41 of 49 games since the beginning of the 2005-06 season.

White normally would be assigned the responsibility of shadowing BYU forward Jonathan Tavernari, who is tied with forward Lee Cummard for the top spot on the Cougars with an average of 17.2 points per game. That task now will fall to freshman forward Tim Shelton, who has been plagued by knee problems much of the season.

“Obviously, Tim is now going to have to play 94 feet, something you'd rather not have him do,” Fisher said. “But we've played without Tim (at UNLV) and won, and if we have to play without Billy, we'll play without Billy. What we need to concern ourselves with is finding a way to win.”